Raging Storm
by RoyalFanatic
Summary: Second oneshot. A fight, a fever, and the worst storm of the ages...Lloyd finds out for himself whether or not the biggest of mistakes can truly be corrected. Spoiler warnings, K plus for safety.


**I wasn't sure whether I should or not, but what the heck, I guess it won't hurt to start this. I'm pleased to present my second (first non songfic) ToS one shot. Here with me are Sheena and Colette, Regal and Zelos shall close.**

**Sheena: The summary you gave on your profile really interested me. "Lloyd finds out for himself whether or not the biggest of mistakes can be corrected…"; very inspirational for a fic.**

**That's what you say, but do the readers feel the same way? Meh, who knows? Colette, please disclaim.**

**Colette: RoyalFanatic doesn't own Tales of Symphonia.**

**Just a reminder that this is set before the final battle against Mithos, and follows the game from when you speak with Kratos at Flanoir, meaning that there are probably spoilers. Also, I know what the Inn at Triet is like, but please allow me to make a few modifications; there are three beds each in the two rooms on the upstairs instead of two and one.**

**  
Colette: They added on! (Cuddles Noishe)**

**I believe that is all of importance. Sheena, start the fic.**

**Sheena: Got it. Away one shot!**

It was the day before the day of them all; in twenty four hours' time, less as the seconds flew, Lloyd and his group were going to finally put a stop to Mithos, finally save the two worlds by making them one. That was surely all they had to do, right?

Well, there was the Great Seed and the revival of the Giant Kharlan Tree, but they were going to do that anyway.

Lloyd felt nervous, and, although he refused to admit it to the others, feverish. They were traveling by Rehaird around Symphonia, taking care of any businesses or tasks the rest of the group could think of. Mindless things like those would only hinder in the final battle.

But Lloyd didn't know why he felt so feverish. Was it because of all the winds? It certainly was cold in the air, but no one else was sick! Or was it a mental thing? Was he, Lloyd Irving, truly ready to fight Mithos? Perhaps his body was against the plan right now, protesting by making him sick.

At any rate, the Eternal Swordsman was very upset with this.

Much to his demise, however, his fever was noticed by the others too.

"Lloyd? What's wrong?" Colette, the first to notice, asked him. Concern echoed in her voice, and Lloyd wasn't surprised; after all, she had offered her body to Mithos in order to save Lloyd not too long ago, preventing anyone else from making that foolish choice.

"It's nothing," Lloyd muttered, not wanting to delay the task at hand.

"Let me see," Raine said, flying over towards Lloyd. Balancing her Rehaird, she felt Lloyd's forehead. She pulled her wrist away. "It certainly isn't 'nothing'. You have a fever."

"I'm not sick!" Lloyd said. "It'll pass; I don't want to delay the fight!"

"Your health is of most importance," Kratos said, looking at his son. Lloyd could hear it, but he had to see it for himself…sure enough, he was worried.

"That's correct," Regal said. "Let us stop at Triet and rest there."

"That's a good idea," Raine said. "Lloyd, don't worry; Kratos is right, your health is more important than a schedule. It wouldn't be good if you collapsed during the battle."

"Fine…" Lloyd said, realizing his defeat. He then began a coughing fit. Okay, so maybe it was a little worse than he thought…

They reached the desert city as the sun began to fall. The group also noticed the winds picking up, going faster than usual, and striking them with more sand. Lloyd could feel his head starting to burn…was the weather making him worse? He managed to walk by himself to the inn when he fell.

"Lloyd? Are you okay?" Genis asked him. Lloyd shook his head. "Sis!"

"His fever's picking up," Raine said. "I can heal him, but he'll have to rest. Let's get settled in the Inn."

They were welcomed graciously by the innkeeper and his assistant; after all, the inn was deserted due to the weather. Noishe was allowed to also enter the inn and rest in the room on the first level. The innkeeper and assistant usually used that room, unless the inn was completely filled. The heroes allowed the keeper and assistant to still use the room, and decided to spilt themselves evenly for the other two rooms; guys took one, and girls took the other.

The group got themselves settled in when Sheena realized she had lost Kuchinawa's charm. She grew angry with herself, first for losing it, then for caring that she lost it in the first place! After all he did! Yet she didn't want it destroyed, and headed towards the door.

"I wouldn't go out," the assistant said. Sheena faced her.

"And why not?" the summoner asked. "An important item of mine is gone!"

"A sandstorm's approaching," the assistant said. "What's worse is that recently they're usually accompanied with bad thunderstorms. Don't waste your life looking for a mere object."

"A mere object my ass!" Sheena muttered darkly, yet she heeded the woman's words and stayed inside. She headed to her room which she shared with the other ladies and told Raine what the assistant told her.

"Perhaps it's because of Derris Kharlan," Raine concluded.

"But it's been close to us for over four thousand years," Sheena said. "Why would it affect the weather now?"

"Remember that Derris Kharlan was hidden by the Tower of Salvation," Raine replied in answer to Sheena's question. "I suppose since the tower was destroyed, and the comet has actually been revealed, it would affect the two worlds in some way."

"Will the inn get blown away?" Colette asked.

"The probability of the inn being blown away is two percent," Presea said. "I believe we are safe here. Let us decide who will get the beds."

"Ah, that's right, they are only three!" Colette said. "Who should sleep on the floor?"

While the girls decided who took the floor, the guys already decided. Lloyd sighed in relief upon finally laying down. Genis took the second one, while Regal had the third. Genis lay his kendama on the table and went to get Raine for Lloyd, while Regal took Lloyd's duties over Noishe and went to feed, water, and groom the arshis, which left the sick swordsman and Kratos in the room.

"I can't believe I had to get sick now," Lloyd muttered darkly. Another cough escaped him. "Now I'm delaying everything! Why couldn't it wait until AFTER we reunited the two worlds?"

"It couldn't be helped," Kratos said. "Just make sure you take care of yourself; if you want to get the final battle out of the way, you have to recover fully."

"I know," Lloyd muttered. "Say Kratos, did this ever happen to you during your travels with Mithos?"

"It did happen, but Yuan was the one who got sick," Kratos said in reply to the question. "We had to stop for a week. Martel was fussing over him while Mithos complained."

"What did you do?"

"Yuan was unable to fight, so we had to protect both him and Martel. I made sure we weren't surprised by monsters."

Lloyd sat up, ignoring the dizziness, and faced his father.

"Will we have to wait that long?" he asked, letting out another cough.

"I don't think so," Kratos answered. "Raine's a good healer; she should be able to get you well sooner than that."

The two fell silent. They could hear Noishe whining, perhaps asking if Lloyd would be okay, or begging for a treat for being well-behaved. Lloyd let out another cough, then was hit with a thought.

"Kratos," Lloyd said, looking over at the mercenary. "How do you feel about the battle? About fighting Mithos?"

Kratos looked to the ceiling. "I feel it's the right thing to do," he finally said. "I never did wish for things to go this far; I think it's finally time Mithos was reunited with Martel."

"And what does that mean?" Lloyd asked, the fever starting to take over his mind. "For all I know, that could've meant you could betray us again. It happened before, didn't it?"

Kratos was shocked; certainly, he knew Lloyd wouldn't forget that day, but this! "It did happen before, and I could be hinting at that, but do you think I would—"

"Yeah, I think you would," Lloyd said, cutting Kratos off. "I can see it now: we go there, and you pull out your sword, then you turn and face us and proclaim your betrayal for the second, no third time!"

"Lloyd, is this how you really feel?" Kratos asked.

"What if it is?" Lloyd asked in turn. Kratos didn't reply. "You thought I wouldn't find out; after all, I'm "stupid", aren't I?"

"Lloyd, I never thought you were—"

"Of course you did!" Lloyd now jumped off the bed, glaring. "Always contradicting me, telling me things that I already knew…you always did it! You were the high and mighty one, and I was the low and pathetic one…"

"I was only worried for your safety. I couldn't bear the thought of—"

"You're only making excuses! You didn't care! You didn't care about mom, and you didn't care about me!"

Kratos hung his head, feeling tears welling in his eyes. "I see," he finally said. "So this is how you really feel. I always knew…you hated me…" He turned and left the room.

Lloyd's face immediately turned from anger to shock. His legs gave out, and he fell to the floor.

"What…what have I done?" he asked. But instead of an answer, all he got was a coughing fit.

After successfully finishing caring for Noishe, Regal left the room and headed back to his own room. He noticed Kratos walk down the stairs and head for the exit.

"I wouldn't go out," he said. Kratos momentarily stopped; his hand on the door. "I heard it's going to be nasty out."

"I have things to do," Kratos said. "I won't be long."

"Very well then," Regal said, watching the mercenary open the door and leave. He continued up to the room. Was that the right thing to do? It wasn't, but in a way, it was. He knew the mercenary would've continued making poor excuses to try and escape. At least he now has a little more time! But what could've happened, Regal had no clue. He saw Genis and Raine enter the room, and followed them.

"Lloyd, what are you doing on the floor?" Raine asked upon entering the room. Regal and Genis helped him back into his bed.

"Didn't…mean…" Lloyd muttered, as another coughing fit escaped him. Raine took out her staff and held it above the coughing swordsman.

"Recover," She muttered. Lloyd closed his eyes, allowing the mana entering his body to do its job. The coughing died down, and his head didn't feel as hot as it did before. He opened his eyes to see Raine put her staff away. He sat up. "Lloyd, you should rest."

"Where's Kratos?" Lloyd dimly asked.

"I saw him before coming here," Regal said. Lloyd snapped his head towards the Duke. "He said he had some last minuet errands he had to do. He sounded very serious."

"You mean he went out?" Genis asked. "What about the weather?

"He's an angel, so I'm not too worried," Raine said. "However, why he would think of going out now of all times does worry me. It doesn't sound like him at all."

"I…can explain that," Lloyd muttered weakly. He told the three everything.

No one said a word as Lloyd spoke of the conversation. Raine sat on the bed, noticing that Lloyd was shaking. She knew he would start crying soon enough.

"He said he knew I hated him, and left," Lloyd finished. "But I don't hate him! I don't know why I even said what I did! And now he's going to die!" The tears came, and Raine pulled him into a hug.

"He won't die," Regal said, although he didn't sound as confident as he hoped he would. "It was just the fever talking, I'm sure he knows that."

"But then why would he say he knew I hated him?" Lloyd asked. "He's going to die out there, and it's all my fault!"

"Don't worry Lloyd," Raine said. "I'm sure everything will turn out okay. You should get some rest."

Lloyd nodded, and Raine left the room. The three got ready for bed.

But as hard as he tried, Lloyd couldn't sleep peacefully. Nightmare after nightmare haunted him, until he woke up. He looked around; Genis and Regal slept on. What was the time? He felt he didn't sleep for long. He got up and grabbed his Material Blades. He stared long and hard at them; then put them back in their spot. He instead grabbed his old wooden blades and tied the two sheaths to his sides. He grabbed the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around him, turning it into a makeshift coat. He shot Genis and Regal one last look before opening the door and stepping out of the room.

"Lloyd?" He heard Raine's voice after descending the stairs. He looked up, sure enough; the healer was looking at him, wearing a cloak. She walked up to him. "Lloyd, where are you going?"

"I'm sorry Professor," Lloyd said. "But I have to do this. I'm going out and looking for Kratos."

"Lloyd, that's insanity," Raine said. "The weather's gotten worse; you won't survive out there."

"But I have to go!" Lloyd said. "I made a mistake, a huge mistake. I have to fix it…before it's too late…"

"You're the only one we can trust to stop Mithos!" Raine said, raising her voice. "You're going to forsake the world just to correct one mistake?"

"YES!" Lloyd said, matching Raine in loudness of voice. She flinched. "I said I didn't want to lose anyone! I'm not going to stand around here and do nothing while my dad's in danger!"

"Lloyd…"

"Besides, this is a test. If I can find dad and still live, I can fight Mithos and save the worlds. If I can't, then I'm not the one who can save everyone."

"Lloyd, of course you're the one who can save everyone!" Raine said. "And that includes Kratos as well." She remained silent; then pulled Lloyd into a hug.

"Professor?" Lloyd was somewhat shocked, yet he returned her embrace.

They stood there in silence. At long last, Raine let go.

"Be careful out there, alright?" she took the blanket, and gave Lloyd her cloak. She then wrapped the blanket around Lloyd. He nodded, and left out the door.

He was greeted with sand and rain. The weather had truly taken a turn for the worst. Was it really Derris Kharlan doing this? Mocking the two worlds as it tried to slip away, and travel once more? He shook his head, now wasn't the time for thoughts like those! He headed out of the city and into the desert.

Lloyd had no clue where to start, and lighting pierced the sky above him. He decided the Renegade base the best place to go to, and started off in the direction that would hopefully take him to his destination.

The weather seemed to have other thoughts, however. Lloyd found himself pushed and pulled by the winds, smacked with raindrops and sand, and threatened to be struck by lightning. He fell to the ground several times, and he wished he didn't have to do this.

'_If only I hadn't been so foolish,'_ Lloyd thought to himself… _'How could I have said the things I did? I never meant them at all…'_

He felt a chill; the fever was coming back. Of course it would! Even he knew that! If only he knew where was going! A jolt of lightning stuck a few feet in front of him, and thunder exploded a few seconds afterwards. Lloyd felt shaky, and fell to the ground, shivering.

'_I'm sorry everyone. I guess…I'm not a hero after all.'_ Lloyd thought before the darkness overtook him. He could hear the raging storm…then nothing.

Back at the inn, Raine sat at the table, her nerves preventing her from sleeping. Hoping that this wasn't a mistake, she headed to her bed, making sure not to step on Presea, who was on the floor. She lay on her bed, clasped her hands together, and decided to try praying.

'_Goddess Martel…please don't let Lloyd or Kratos die…guide them both to safety, and let them be together, as father and son…'_

Lloyd's hearing came back to his first. He couldn't hear the storm, but he could hear the fire. _'I'm…still alive?'_ He thought with surprise. _'Must…get up…'_

With effort, Lloyd was able to open his eyes. He was in the ruins of the Fire Seal, the huge lava room to be exact. He looked around; the place looked to be in good shape. He was surprise; remembering that the Great Kharlan Tree had destroyed all of the seals...or did it? It looked as though the roots just barred the entrance.

'_How did I get here?' _Lloyd thought. His eyes scanned the room; then fell upon Kratos.

He was leaning against the wall, sleeping. Lloyd looked amazed; it was the first time he saw his father asleep. He was still feverish, but it wasn't as bad as it was outside. Lloyd grabbed the blanket, which was covering him, wrapped it around himself again, walked up to the sleeping Kratos, and sat next to him. Covering the two of them with the blanket, Lloyd leaned his head on Kratos' shoulder and fell asleep.

Raine had just finished reading one of her history books when she suddenly felt relieved, and tired. Surprised, she looked around; the other three girls were still asleep.

'_Was that…Martel?'_ Raine thought. She smiled. _'Thank you for listening to my prayer.'_ She got into her bed and fell asleep.

A loud yell awoke Raine; Genis bursting through the door awoke the others.

"Sis! SIS! Lloyd's missing!" he cried. Colette looked worried.

"Oh no! Where is he?" she asked. Regal shook his head.

"We don't know," He said. "Kratos is also missing."

"I wouldn't worry," Raine said. Everyone stared at her. "I'm sure they're both okay."

Kratos didn't realize how tired he truly was! Instead of taking a short nap, he fell asleep! He went to get up, but then saw Lloyd beside him. It awoke old memories; memories of when the young man besides him was only a child. Nights spent watching the stars together, and every single time the three year old Lloyd grew tired and fell asleep, he leaned besides Kratos like he was doing now. The mercenary couldn't help but smile; Lloyd didn't hate him after all.

"Lloyd, get up," Kratos said, gently pushing the boy. Lloyd mumbled something; then opened his eyes.

"Hey dad," he said.

"Any reason for following me?" Kratos asked. "I was surprised to see you missing."

"I'm sorry," Lloyd muttered. "But I had to find you, I had to apologize. I didn't mean anything I said last night…it was the fever. I had to tell you…before you died…"

"Who said anything about dying?" Kratos asked. "I went to speak to Yuan; he told me to get back to Triet as quickly as possible. Once I got there, I understood why."

"Dad, I don't hate you," Lloyd said. "I do love you. You're the best father a son could have! And I mean it too!"

"Lloyd? Kratos?" They both jumped hearing Raine's voice. "Are you guys here?"

"We're in here!" Lloyd said, standing up. Kratos copied his son. The group entered the room.

"Lloyd! You ARE safe!" Colette said, hugging him.

"Don't scare us like that, okay?" Sheena asked. "And that goes true for you too, Kratos," she added, turning to the mercenary.

"We're sorry," Lloyd said. He then walked up to Raine and smiled at her. "I guess this means I passed that test." This time he gave her a hug, and she returned it. "So, when do we leave for Derris Kharlan?"

"Let's check your fever," Raine said, releasing Lloyd and putting her wrist on his forehead. "It's gone! You're better again! We leave on your word."

"Right then," Lloyd said. He looked to each member of the group; each nodded. "Let's go then! Let's save the worlds!"

**Zelos: It's finally done!**

**Regal: More than three thousand words…**

**Zelos: Really? Wow! That's a lot!**

**Regal: Indeed. It also seems there is some light Lloyd/Raine romance.**

**Zelos: I think they're cute together!**

**Regal: Perhaps. Please review.**


End file.
